Cal Poly football lands a Pac-12 showdown with 2019 schedule

Cal Poly unveils new football, soccer practice facility

Cal Poly opens Doerr Family Field, a new synthetic-turf practice facility to be used by the football and soccer teams, on Friday, February 2, 2018.
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Cal Poly opens Doerr Family Field, a new synthetic-turf practice facility to be used by the football and soccer teams, on Friday, February 2, 2018.
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The Cal Poly football team will try its hand against a Pac-12 opponent for the first time since 2015 when they face off against Oregon State in a non-conference game next season.

The Mustangs will play the Beavers on Sept. 14 at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Oregon, in what will be the first matchup between the schools, Cal Poly athletic announced Wednesday along with the team’s entire 2019 schedule.

Cal Poly lost a closely fought contest against Arizona State in 2015, falling 35-21 in a game that was tied 21-21 with eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter.

The Mustangs, coming off a 5-6 overall record with a 4-4 mark in the Big Sky, are also scheduled to play at Cal in 2020.

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Cal Poly’s streak of playing at least one Football Bowl Subdivision team ended at 12 years in 2018. The Mustangs have played 23 games against FBS schools since 2002 with victories over Texas-El Paso in 2003, San Diego State in both 2006 and 2008 and Wyoming in 2012.

Oregon State placed last in the Pac-12 North with a 1-8 record (2-10 overall) this past season.

Cal Poly’s 2019 schedule includes five home games at Alex G. Spanos Stadium, opening with the University of San Diego on Aug. 31 and following with Big Sky Conference contests against Montana State on Oct. 5, North Dakota on Oct. 19, Sacramento State on Oct. 26 and Eastern Washington on Nov. 16.

The Nov. 16 contest will be Alumni Weekend, a Homecoming Celebration, while the Oct. 26 game is on Mustang Family Weekend.

The Mustangs’ four Big Sky games on the road are Sept. 28 at Southern Utah, Oct. 12 at UC Davis in the Battle for the Golden Horseshoe, Nov. 2 at Idaho and Nov. 23 at Northern Colorado.

San Diego, Montana State, Eastern Washington, UC Davis and Weber State are 2018 Football Championship Subdivision playoff qualifiers. This season, Cal Poly played eight teams ranked at one time or another in FCS Top 25 polls, winning four of its last six games en route to a 5-6 record.

“Once again one of the toughest schedules in the FCS with five 2018 playoff teams and a Pac-12 game on the road,” said Mustang head coach Tim Walsh. “It should be exciting and we look forward to continuing our momentum we ended with in 2018.”

Idaho rejoined the Big Sky for football this fall after a 17-year journey in the Football Bowl Subdivision. North Dakota continues to play an eight-game Big Sky schedule, but the Fighting Hawks are moving to the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2020.

The Mustangs will have byes on Sept. 21 and Nov. 9, and FBS schools may schedule 12 games next fall if desired.

Cal Poly will not play Big Sky members Portland State, Montana, Idaho State and Northern Arizona in 2019 and, for the second straight year, will play Weber State in a non-conference contest Sept. 7 in Ogden, Utah.

Cal Poly is 30-26 in its first seven seasons in the Big Sky, capturing the conference crown in 2012.

Cal Poly quarterback Khaleel Jenkins discusses student-athletes' role in helping to improve diversity and race relations on campus in San Luis Obispo, California.